Pages

Friday, May 11, 2012

Tweet
As a mother sometimes a lot is given up to have a family. Sometimes carreers, space in the house for toys ... sanity. I've never heard that parenting is easy only that it is worth it. As my kids are growing I hope to get to the stage to say it was all worth it and convince young new moms that it does get better because I was there. As I am writing this article I have or will have to stop at least 10 times for such things as fighting, crying baby that just wants to be held, dirty diaper(s), help my toddler redress from going to the bathroom (at least twice), get drinks, turn on the tv, read a book and lay my baby down for a nap. I am saying this not because it has anything to do with my next corner but because mother's day is in a couple of days and I think this is the first year I understand what my mother went though. How truely difficult being a mother can be but how much love it can bring. And although right now it seems like the only time I can say it is worth it is when I see my two little ones sleeping quiet and soundly at the same time, I am grateful to those mothers out there. The ones who tried/tries their best and gave up at least one thing if not many things to decide to have children. Having children changes you so Happy Mother's Day.

I guess in one way Barbara from Running Withe Scissors did inspire my previous paragraph. She told me that she took over her son's room when he got married and the thought crossed my mind of here is a benfit of children. They require you to have a home with more rooms and then when they leave you have to do something in those rooms. Why not convert one to a craft room? Barbara also is lucky in love too. She has a wonderful husband who built their house and helps her execute designs for her shop. It is good to have a companion that is supportive and enjoys your passions as well.

I love all these long tables. There is a lot of room to work on and leave out stuff if you are stuck on a design. I also like the tv in her room (although I secretly wonder if this is how she gets her husband to help :) ).

She also have tons of bins and little jars for all her nick-nacks and more. I like the pegboard she uses to hang her paper punches.

She loves it when her customers request special orders that challenge her creativity. She creates in a wide varity of styles for her shop but she calls her style "Shabby Grunge" when she creates for herself.

Her Tonic Paper Cutter is sharp and accurate and she can't live with out it. I know when I scrapbooked I hated it when my little cutter's blade got dull in the middle of a project. I imagine as a business this item is pretty important.

Her main work station seems to be in front of the window which I like because of the light it allows in the day and it helps to make you not feel cooped up after a long day crafting. I love nature and sometimes it is nice just to look out the sliding doors next to my sewing machine to see my children playing in the yard. Barbara started scrapbooking her children's childhood and since her youngest is 32 she has lots of experience (even as a mother) under her belt. She did albums for her kids from birth though highschool. After that she started to create greeting cards that she used in a Welcome Basket for new hires at the school she worked at. When she retired she had her first fair and lots of inventory already.

She is inspired by paper patterns, crafts expo's and workshops. She likes to see new items in the industry and talking to other crafters. She also loves to collect things when she travels and then she incorporates then into wall art that includes photos from her travels. She takes a journal along with her when she travels and keeps details of the trip which all go into an album, on the wall or into her new designs for her shop.

Pictured above is her storage tips

"1. I store all my unmounted stamps in clear CD cases in
racks mounted tothe wall.They’re labeled on the side so I can pull the
stamps I need at a glance.

2.I had my husband mount picture wire to the inside wall
of the closet, really high up.I use a
LOT of ephemera that goes into projects so most of it is hung on the picture
wire where I can see it quickly."

Thank you Barbara for sharing your space and I enjoyed your nice organized areas (I am glad that this article helped you to get inspired to clean and reorganize. Hopefully your cleaning isn't like mine where I can't find where I put it away!!!)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Tweet
We have a new blogger for the Etsy Street team! My name is Beth Morgan from SFL and I am simply what I call a "Family Crafter." My girls and I craft, well we craft just about all the time. We ended up with so many fun things we had made that we opened up a shop on Etsy and are having so much fun. The Etsy community is a great base of wonderful heartfelt crafters from super skilled artists, jewelry makers all the way down to a whole lot of mom's who love to craft with their children. The latter is where I fall and since I do enjoy finding things to make and do with my girls I have volunteered to bring some of these fun and cute ideas directly to you here with my Etsy Street Team gang.

I am a generational crafter, my mom always had a jam packed closet full of fun things to make and do. Rainy days were never a bummer when I was growing up. It's hard sometimes to get in the one on one with children as they are always running here and there for sports, friends, playdates and whatnot but I have found that carving out that special little "craft time" for us is just so rewarding. They are my favorite shoppers.

So.. over the next bit I will bringing to you new Kids Craft ideas right here. We tend to be mostly paper crafters but I know that many of my Etsy teammates will have some actual "skilled art" ideas that will be shared as well! So go ahead and subscribe and join our RSS feed to get Kid's craft ideas sent right to you.

Since this week is Teacher Appreciation Week we have been having ALOT of fun. We have picked flowers from the yard and made handmade smiley face chocolates and since tomorrow is the last day... we are making thank you cards.

After looking around the girls landed on these adorable purse thank you cards.

Here is what you will need:
8 1/2 by 11 inch heavy paper or card stock
Paints (optional) crayons work just perfect
Embellishments of your choice (ie. glitter, sequences or anything you find around! That's what crafting is all about)

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Our May FEST Blog Giveaway features a wonderful handcrafted item from LuckiiArts. Casey Virata is from West Palm Beach Florida and fashions wonderful works of art from reclaimed tiles, wood panels and canvas. She specialized in black and white illustrations, custom hand painted address tiles for homes and funky, vibrant panels and drawings.

Casey has offered to provide a specialized tile from her Art Blocks Shop Section as our Giveaway. Shown above are just some of the tiles available to our "Luckii" May winner. You pick the one that strikes your fancy from Casey's marvelous collection.

Whether it's vibrant colors, black and white art, whimsical drawings or customized tiles, you're sure to find just the right item to make your heart and your home happy. This hand-painted original acrylics and pen on reclaimed wood block from Casey's Tree Series, inspired by Royal Poinciana Trees found all over south Florida and in her front yard, could be just what you are looking for.

You can visit Casey at her Etsy Store to see more of her wonderful creations at LuckiiArts.

HOW TO ENTER: Enter to win your choice of any item in LuckiiArts Art Block Shop Section or any of the FEST member shops listed on the top of our Blog Page. Find your favorite item, share it with us and tell us why you love it. Remember to add your email address or contact info so we can contact you if you are the Winner! Winner picked on 06/05/12. Simple and Easy!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

TweetIf you are not familiar with Ellen Whitehurst then you should be!Ellen Whitehurst is a Better Living Expert and is recognized as the country's premier expert in Feng Shui and other empowering modalities.If you would like to know more about Ellen Whitehurst, you can subscribe to or read herwebsite.And as part of this month activities, we would like to share our picks from the Florida Etsy Street Team to help your Shuistrology for this month.

MAY 3 Mercury the Messenger whispering sweet (and savory!) somethings into the ears of a more than willing Venus. Calls for a Magically Delicious amorous appetizer methinks. I’m also thinking you should be cookin’ up same for some friends of yours as well. Or at least get out and about and enjoying a high time with them. Tonight would be THAT night. For the adventurous among you – remember to burn a red candle in the kitchen as you cook so you can be as hot as fire your own self tonight and, then, end the meal with some hot, hot, hot (wink, wink, wink) Café OHHHH LAY! You’ll need a teaspoon of shelled cardamom seeds, a half cup of cold water and some freshly brewed double strength coffee. While holding the seeds, strongly visualize your intentions and desires. Place the cold water and the cardamom seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a full boil. Boil for two minutes. Strain the liquid through a standard coffee filter and pour into fresh HOT coffee. Stir it UP and serve!

MAY 5 Full Moon in intense and passionate Scorpio eliciting emotional responses on traditionally rowdy Cinco de Mayo. Maybe a little less tequila and a little more TLC in efforts at quelling and calming the emotional overload? I call this sacred self-care and today’s tool to do just that is magnesium. Aside from regulating normal body functions and helping to build bones, magnesium is also an all natural calming agent providing relief for a whole host of potentially upsetting conditions. As always, before adding any supplement to your diet consult your health care professionals. Keep it cool today and you’ll find the rest of the month only gets a heckuva lot hotter – in a sizzling good way!

MAY 10 Mercury the Messenger sextiles foggy bottom Neptune making today a cosmically creative kind of day. Turn your energies towards the arts and drink up all the inspiration in the air. If you do, you’ll feel like Van GOOOOOOO!!!!!

MAY 13 TODAY IS SUPER STELLAR DAY and possibly the LUCKIEST DAY OF THE WHOLE YEAR! Want to know why and how to use these energies to your best and biggest advantage? Well, you’ll have to be a subscriber to my free monthly newsletter and you can do that at http://www.ellenwhitehurst.com/. Sign up now and you’ll get really lucky! REALLY LUCKY!

MAY 16 Aggressive warrior planet Mars is trine personally powerful Pluto. That means that action meets and mates with power in a beautifully blended way today. Be sure to keep your inside AND outside entryway lights on for at least three consecutive hours today in order to illuminate and invite exciting, action-oriented and power-FULL opportunities right to your door!

MAY 20 New Moon Solar Eclipse on the same day that the Sun enters Gemini. Initiate. Innovate. Let the new times roll. Keep confidence in your ideas and your plans and then take them to the next level. But not before putting NINE RED CANDLES in your FAME area and lighting them for a few minutes today. Do this for the next two too and ratchet up the heat on your dreams and desires!

MAY 21 Mercury the Messenger is joining (positively positive) forces with jazzy Jupiter! If you can dream it (and, then, GROUND IT!) you can live it. The sky’s the limit – wait – I take that back. There are NO limits to what you can achieve today. See yesterday’s candle cure and deja do it all over again. GO YOU GO!!!

MAY 23 Uh oh. Well, you knew it had to happen sooner or later. The other shoe dropping of course. Sun squares off against Neptune and it’s hard to make heads or tails of anything, especially reality. Rather than get all caught up trying to push the water back up the river or trying put the paste back into the tube, why not just take a personal day. Massage. Mani-pedi. Read a book. Just don’t expect to see the real in any situation today. Mental health day! For mentally healthy – and now happy – you! OR you can change the lightbulb in the main light source in your bedroom. This could help clear things up too, but, I still lean towards a lazy day. How about you?

MAY 25 Now it’s Mercury’s turn to square off against Neptune. If it sounds to good to be true it DEFINITELY is. Don’t deal today. Don’t agree to anything and don’t sign anything either. Better days and happier endings to come. I ain’t got no cures for anyone who MUST sign something today. Not a one. Sorry. Just wait. I promise brighter times to come. In TWO DAYS. Just wait.

MAY 27 Mercury is sextile Uranus and brilliant ideas pour in by the bucket load. Keep a pad and pen handy or keep your tablet tuned to WORD, because, well, WORD! Today is chock full of them and some will even earn you additional income. Or you can write the following Florence Scovel Shinn affirmation nine times today: three times upon awaking, three more at the mid-day and three more times before you go to bed. As always remember your intention and the red pen too. “Let me NOW express the Divine Idea in my mind, body and affairs.” The ultimate ‘expressway’ so put your pedal to that mettle and start your engines!

MAY 28 Happy Memorial Day! With the Sun sextile Uranus nobody should rain on your parade. It’s an enthusiastic day and you should find family and friends ready to rally! Wear red. You can add the white and the blue to balance and be in the flow, but, just be sure you don the daring and wear red. You’ll be on fire if you do! FUEGO! Buenas dias!

MAY 30 Mercury the Messenger squaring off against an irritated, annoyed and aggressive Mars. Don’t say a word. Unless you back a few days to May 27 and say that Scovel Shinn affirmation all the day long. Otherwise, keep it zipped. OR don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tweet
I have had a lot of fun writing these article and getting to know some of
our team members in the process. But I must amit that all these last articles
have made me so jealous when it comes to having a whole room to only clean up
when you decide to do something crazy like be in a blog post about craft
spaces. That being said it would not be in my best interest right now to take
over my 3 year or 1 year olds rooms either. I am planning to close-in a back
porch and create a room in perhaps 15 years. Sigh 15 years isn't that long,
right?

So today we get a glimpse into Unique Nique’s craft space.

Monique has two main areas she works out of. The first is the garage where
her kilns, glass storage, mold storage, grinder and glass saw are .

The other is a room in her home which she converted into a studio. I love
the aqua color she chose her walls and all the natural light.

Monique makes beautiful jewelry out of art glass,
dichroic, copper wire, sterling wire, crystals and beads of many kinds and her
craft room has a lot of her items she uses and lots of storage containers for
those items.

But she can
not live with out her Dremel tool “ Oh boy it is one of my truly favorite
things, I cut, polish, engrave, make holes, make curves all with the one tool
it is wonderful,” she told me.

I loved seeing some of her finished products on
little displays near her desk in the picture below.

In one way or another she has spent her whole life
re-purposing things or making something out of whatever is to hand - She grew
up in a big family and there was no choice but to think outside the box if she
wanted or needed anything she had to use what she had. She has always made things
but she only got into glass in her 30's. She loves the colors; the vibrancy and
the way you can make the shapes speak to you whether it is with your glass
cutter or with the heat from a torch or kiln. Her telling me these things was
inspiring and made me think of how crafters really truly love what they
do.Even if it isn’t the most profitable
job we could have.

Other then working with glass; wire crochet with
seed beads and swarovskis crystal is her favorite medium to work with. She stated, “It is an incredible feeling when
the wire seems to take on its own intricate pattern it is almost like the beads
and wire decide on their own how they would like to blend.”I think a lot of us feel that same way about
our favorite medium.I am sometimes
amazed at how cute my daughter looks in some of my clothing because of fabric
choices and pattern alterations.

Now when she told me her storage tip I thought man this is a woman who could
become my best friend.Her tip… “Plastic ice cream containers - they stack easily
and they are perfect for my little tubes of seed beads, they also store mosaic
pieces well as the lids fit tight but are still easy to open, and believe me
tight fitting lids are what you want when it comes to small pieces of glass and
all those seed beads. I don't know anyone who likes to play thousand piece
pickup.”By the way I have done that. I
use seed beads in some of my smocking and when they get away I end up spending
more time picking them up then sewing.

So now we all have a great excuse to buy that
gallon plastic tube of ice cream and eat it quickly so we can use it for
storage. Any excuse is a good one
right?

Inspired by people, nature, movement and shapes, math,
actually pretty much anything was truly shown in this picture of some of her
work in the window.I thought it was
neat that she said she sleeps with a notepad next to her bed and often wake up
with a scribble or two and sometimes even a decipherable picture.

I felt Unique Nique inspired and reminded me why I do what I
do and why I love it.Thank you, Monique,
for sharing your space as well as your love for your craft.